Smoke and Mirrors
by My Vantilene
Summary: For Chico Magnifico ;D Aqua's never stayed in one place for too long, it's what's most familiar to her, moving from state to state. But all that's about to change. High School AU, Terra x Aqua, Ventus x Aqua, Roxas x Xion, Roxas x Namine, Sora x Kairi, Riku x Xion
1. Chapter 1

_I would like to start this story off with an apology. When I was writing Kingdom Hearts fanfiction many months ago, I wrote some terrible and offensive stuff. I'm not taking it down because I think it's important to track progress, but if you haven't experienced my post-AT era writing, I urge you not to. It's pretty nasty. This story's me wiping the slate clean. I haven't written KH for a while, but I replayed 368/2 Days and now I'm covered in tears. I might as well do something about it. _

Aqua has never stayed in one place for too long. She's only had glimpses of normality amidst the whirlwind of chaos that is her life on the road. A small town grocery store where a middle-aged man helped an old women to her car as they talked with an air of fondness. The familiarity of two best friends walking through the park with a dog on a loose leash. The unadulterated laughter of children at play. These are only short wisps observed in passing, as she has stood pedestrian in the grand scheme of life through her travels. Sure, she's enrolled at school and converses with the populace in whatever new state her father's work takes her, but she's never had a foundation that reaches outside her and her dad. There was no time to solidify friendships, and attempting to do so would be like trying to build Rome in a day. Change was an obstacle she was constantly at ends with. But a year or two back, she was admitted to a penpal program by her concerned father. She met her first real friend, and though it didn't take a day, Rome was built, and that's all she could ever ask for. Within the first week of sending e-mails and letters to him, she felt there was a connection there. A friend who got her in so many ways no one else could, in so many ways no one else would even try to understand. He also described the place he lived to her, and she pictured it in her head, adding new details with every new piece of information. A bench on 34th street. A speed limit sign near the pavilion. A bike rack on school grounds. It was small stuff, but it amounted to so much for a girl who could never familiarize herself with her surroundings. He never did tell her the place, but she could guess by the ornery complaints about the weather, it was some place in the northern United States. They exchanged phone numbers, and whenever she texted, he would answer promptly, without hesitation. He was always there for her, when she needed to spill something that had been bothering her, or rant to someone about good news. And, boy, did she have good news to share.

Her father had finally gotten his GED, and with it, he qualified for a stable job. She was finally getting a chance to settle down somewhere. She had told him the place, Canton, Ohio, that afternoon, but he still hadn't e-mailed, IM, or texted her back. He said he was busy today, though, so she knew he wouldn't have gotten it right away, but she was still anxious about his reply. She really needed his support on this because, even though this is what she's dreamed of for years, something about Canton just doesn't feel right.

* * *

It's 6:00 AM when Aqua arises from her bed sheets like a ghost ship from a nocturnal fog. Casting aside their warmth, she walks as a purely infected zombie would to the bathroom sink and applies cold water to her face, as if curing the undead from her step. She backs into her closet and into a pair of patched, skin-tight jeans, still reeling from the icy bite of the water. After pulling on a snug-fitting beige knitted sweater, she adds a hat for good, warm measure. You can never be too careful in these wintry months. Everyone will be coming back from Christmas break today.

Aqua descends the stairs with a growing composure as her exposure to the freezing wood flooring in her new house jolts the cobwebs from her mind. She takes a few bites of toast before lights come whizzing down the street.

Who wanted to take the bus anyway?

When she drives up to the student parking lot in her dad's beat up Mazda with Sahara by Relient K pumping through the abused, throbbing speakers, all windows rolled down. She knows it's an icy morning, and that she'll be sporting icicles on her eyelashes and nose by the time she gets there, but she doesn't care all that much. Her penpal hasn't texted/IM'd/e-mailed/ her back since she told him the good news. She fears the worst has become of her dear friend, and music is the best way to drown out her mind. Though bystanders who don't appreciate the racket she's making offer glaring stares in protest and some wary glances, she tries so hard to concentrate on the lyrics. She parks with only slight apprehension for the coming day.

Homeroom wasn't all that bad. Really. It was more of a learning experience than anything else. Aqua learned that you never sit in the seat next to a pissed jock's girlfriend. Like, ever. Resist the temptation at all costs. He taught her a lesson like no other, that's for sure. One that bruised her wrists a bit. But over all, it wasn't that bad. Really. If the teacher had seen, or was present for most of the time, things could've really spiraled out of control.

She was wary during first period and second period, on her toes to who was possibly an enemy, and who was safe. Her mind reverted back to survival mode, like it always does when she's the victim of negative, physical contact. She isn't exactly a stranger to schools like this, where anything goes. She's picked up pretty quickly that there are only two favorable options. To lay low and stay off everyone's radar or to fight and win. And Aqua was in no mood or shape to conquer anything. That's why, come lunchtime, she immediately vacated the cafeteria, choosing to eat her ill-prepared turkey sandwich in the calm solitude of the elements. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, almost throwing itself out of her jeans in a fit of anger. She pressed enter to end its temper tantrum.

**Aqua! So sorry for the late text, but I just got your e-mail now. (In study hall they let you use computers to do whatever, so I guess this is my whatever.) That's really exciting, I hope it's everything you've wanted. Maybe I could make a trip over there and visit you. Wouldn't that be cool, meeting in person? **

Her heart warms at the thought and she smiles widely to herself. Of course he was in no danger, she knew this from the start, but, still, relief fluttered through her veins.

**Definitely. But I don't know about this school. It's another rough one and I just can't move away like I normally do. **

She never sends the text because behind her there's a strong rustle of bush and before she has time to blink, a kid with blonde hair is being launched in her direction. Startled, she stands from the bench and takes in the lithe boy's form lying on the floor.

"Who are…" Aqua starts, but she doesn't get too far.

"Ventus! You blew our cover!" A boy with black hair shrieked, running out from the shrubbery to the fallen blonde.  
"Well," he mumbles, getting up from the ground and dusting snow off his pants, "you're the one who pushed me."

"You're the one who asked for it," He folded his arms across his chest, casting a wary glance in the bush's direction, "You guys can come out now. Might as well be formally introduced."

Nothing came from the bush, not even a sound.

"Really? Come on, you're not helping anyone…" he waited a bit, "If I have to come over there and get you, it's not going to be pretty."

He charged at the bush, and seeing as how no one was there, ran further into the school vegetation. He emerged victorious, two boy's collars caught in the iron grip of his fist. He throws them further, where Aqua is standing with a slack jaw, as if they were shoes a mother had told her lackluster child to put away.

"If you had followed me, we could've gotten away, but no, you had to take your own shortcut."

"Me? You're the one who got us caught with that whole oh-let-me-snap-this-branch-and-make-it-obnoxiously-loud gambit."

"You're both idiots, and you both got caught, now can you two stop for a second?"

The two boys sat up and were quiet.

"Well. Hello, Aqua. Sorry for the intrusion, I'm Vanitas, that's Sora, Ventus, and his clone, Roxas."

"Not a clone!" Roxas interjected.

"Um, hi. How did you know my name?"

Ventus elbowed Vanitas, "Smooth."

"Um. Yes. About that…"

"Don't tell her!" Sora whispered, a little too loudly.

"Are you dumb or something?" he snapped, "Like, seriously, I want to know what that something is if you have a reasonable explanation for the sheer stupidity that flows clear and unpolluted from your mouth everyday. And of all the days! If we get in trouble, your can's going to be thoroughly kicked. I mean it."

"I guess word of what happened this morning's already gotten around," she said a little too quickly, eager to divert the subject, "Um, forget I asked. But, your name's Ventus, right?"

"The one and only."

"Yeah, if you don't count the clone." Vanitas grins.

"Not a clone!"

"Mhmm. Right. Well, it's been nice talking to you boys." She says, backing away, "But I think that was the lunch bell." She walks away at a jogger's pace.

"We don't have a lunch bell."

She slips out her phone and erases the text she was typing before.

**Ventus, I'm really confused right now. **


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Aqua found it safer to sit next to Vanitas in homeroom, since no one seemed particularly eager to fight her for the spot. He smiled omnisciently as she begrudgingly took the seat, having decided yesterday that she did not like this golden-eyed boy, didn't like him one bit. She knew his kind.

So, when he tried to say hi through a low, sarcastically pleasant voice, she just stared on ahead, ignoring him.

"I said hi. It wasn't a threat, the greeting won't self-destruct in ten seconds, I'm just trying to be friendly here, you can at least meet me half way."

"Why are you talking to me?" she asked with a curt look in his direction before resuming her staring contest with the blackboard.

"Look, Princess, you're new around here. And different. This is Canton. People don't like different here. So get with the program and stick close to me. You're going to need all the protection you can get."

"Excuse me, how am I different? And I never asked for your _protection_!"

"That's what makes me so nice. I see the unaware damsel, I help her."

"Ugh!" she grunted, "Just leave me alone!"

"No can do, sweetheart. See, I am a loyal and dedicated man."

"Aqua, Vanitas, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?"

"No." Aqua mumbled, sinking down into her seat.

* * *

When it was time for lunch, Aqua took her brown-bagged sandwich and headed down the hall, toward the outdoor portion of the campus. Out of nowhere, Vanitas came walking from the opposite direction toward her, and hooked arms with her when he was supposed to have just walked past. She felt herself being pulled in an unwanted direction.

"You don't want to catch a cold on your second day, do you? Come on, I know this neat little café we could go to."

"What? Let go of me!"

He did, quite abruptly and she had to pinwheel to regain balance. After straightening her shirt, she stared sharply at him, and he returned the favor with a glare of his own.

"Now, are you going to come like a rational person, or would you like me to carry you there over my shoulder?"

"I guess if I can't get rid of you, I might as well come quietly." She grumbled.

"That's the spirit." He stopped at the janitor's closet and pulled out a rusted key and opened the door. Aqua raised her eyebrows.

"This is the part where I should start running, right?"

"Oh, calm down, no need to get your thong in a twist, I'm just going to get something." He slipped inside and slammed the door behind him. Aqua crossed her arms and huffed. What was she even doing with this loser? Why couldn't the place she settled have been a high school filled with sane, sensible people? And preferably better weather, but maybe even that want was pushing it. Still, she was curious about the blonde. Maybe hanging with Vanitas would lead her to him. After all, Ventus isn't necessarily a popular name.

"Miss me?" he inquired, stepping out into the pallid light of the hallway.

"You wish. Come on just take me to your café."

"If I may be honest a moment, it's not an actual café."

"Shocker."

"See, we have this place set up in the boiler room of the school."

"This place has a boiler room?"

"Yeah, follow me," he takes a swift right, "You see, it gets really could here during the — well, I guess you've already noticed it's pretty cold this time of year. This school needs a boiler room to keep it from freezing over. I wish it would, you know. I could finally see what it would look like if Hell froze over."

Aqua bit back a giggle.

"So, those boys you were with, are they with you?"

"I think you just answered your own question, but if you meant are they my friends, then, sadly, yes. Love them to death. Emphasis on that last part." Aqua could've sworn she caught a flash of a genuine smile amidst the smirks.

"In fact, that's who we're going to meet in the Boiler Café."

"Will Ventus be there?"

Vanitas rose his eyebrows suspiciously.

"The little punk has your fancy? You'd best stop thinking like that if you want to survive." He whispered almost inaudibly.

"What?"

"Nothing. Here, let me tell you the gossip before we get all they way down there," he replies as he takes another rusted key from his pocket and opens another door. He let's Aqua go first like the feigned little gentleman he is not, and they both begin walking down an endless and dark staircase, "Ventus lived his whole life in Florida before moving here in 8th grade. When he met Roxas, he was just as surprised as his doppelganger. There are rumors circulating even now, and still no one knows the truth about why they look identical. Either one's adopted, or both are adopted, twins split up upon birth, how tragic. But neither of their parents have yet to confirm they're adopted. Both are holding their ground remarkably well. My favorite theory is that they're clones, but I suppose you already picked up on that.

"There are a few others in our group I don't think you've met yet. Riku's kind of a wild card. Sometimes he's on our side, other times he's not, but a lot of the time he acts as a peacemaker for both sides. But I never said he was any good at it, that's why we're always split. He's iffy, but I guess he's still cool, even after all the crap he's pulled. And there's Xion, the girl he flirts with constantly. She's more a part of this group than him, though, make no mistake. Xion doesn't like Riku in that way, but they're still pretty close. Roxas doesn't like him because he thinks that Xion does. That kid is uncontrollably jealous sometimes. But then again, so is Xion. Roxas likes to hang out with another girl, Namine, and Xion's not always okay with that. They're always second-guessing the other's fidelity when they aren't even official, it's just so pathetic. Well anyway, there's Kairi. Sora likes her. She likes Sora. There's no competition, no obstacles, no problems with their relationship, and they aren't even official yet. We're such hopeless romantics even when we have what we're looking for."

"What about you?"

"Wha — me? I never really thought about it."

"You have tabs on everyone else's love life, but no grip on your own?"

"Well, I…" he scratches his arm and his eyes grow solemn.

"Come on. Why not tell a complete stranger who you like?"

"Alright, we're here, sharing time's over." He pulls out one last key and stabs it tentatively into the darkness.

When he opens the door, she taken aback by how nice the place looks. They're some beanbag chairs, some lava lamps, a few regular lamps for decent lighting's sake, a diminutive TV with a thick covering of dust, hooked up to a VHS player, and a mini fridge.

"How did…?"

"My dad didn't want the VHS player or the old TV. He was going to throw it out, so I took it." Roxas, who was seated in a black beanbag, answered.

"I was in charge of the lamps." Sora explained.

"I got the beanbags." Ven offered.

"I stole the mini fridge from Terra's place." Vanitas waved it off as if it was nothing, taking his spot on a red beanbag.

"You can take the teal one." She took a seat at the designated beanbag.

"So, Vanitas told me about the whole clone ordeal." Aqua announced. Ventus and Roxas shared a look. Sora laughed.

"Yup, that's Van for ya. A clever thief on the surface, a gossiping schoolgirl at heart."

"Shut up, _you lazy bum_."

They stared at each other a moment, before Sora broke the tension with more peals of laughter. Vanitas chuckled slightly, soundlessly.

"Oh, yeah, I was meaning to ask. How are you and Sora related? Brothers?"

It was dead silent. Vanitas crossed his arms and his gaze fell downward. Sora just zoned out. Roxas and Ventus's eyes darted from Sora to Vanitas and back to Sora again. Luckily, the tension was broken when a noise came from the boiler room door, it sounded like laughter.

The door opened to reveal a raven-haired girl, a blonde, and a redhead, all laughing to themselves. They stopped when they saw Aqua.  
"Is that…?"

"Xion, Kairi, Namine. Meet Aqua."

"Hiya!" Kairi beamed, plopping down on the orange beanbag next to Sora.

"Nice to meet you." Namine did a little bow before taking the beanbag next to Roxas.

Xion smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but then her eyes darted to Namine and Roxas, so she took a seat by Vanitas instead. The raven-haired boy in turn gave Aqua a meaningful look.

"So, Aqua," Xion began, "Where did you live before you came here?"

"Well, I was in Montana last time, and before that New Mexico, and before that Iowa, and before that Florida, and before that Pennsylvania, and before that Michigan, and before that Oregon, and before that Cali—"

"We get it, Aqua." Vanitas cuts her off, his eyes still downcast, still lost in thought.

She wonders what it is she said. She wonders why he wouldn't answer her. She wonder if Ventus is a more common name than she thought.

_AN:_

_I apologize.  
_


End file.
